Teach us to pray. Ask for what you need. My needs are filled. So my prayers seem to center around what I want. Hm...Even as I look at the form, my 3 squares are covered if I so choose. So am I to focus on the "other" parts of the prayer--like setting the world right (justice?), forgiving, and resisting temptation?
Ask and you'll get. Seek and you'll find. Knock and it'll open...for my needs, not my wants. Huge difference most days...and sometimes I need to be broken, given a reality check...Hm...Ask for what you need(doesn't ever refer to want). Examples have to do with daily bread, daily need, asks. How does that affect my perspective on prayer?
"Any country in civil war for very long is wasted. A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces." Makes me think of our country in recent decades...Lord have mercy...and give us wisdom, and help us to receive it.
"If you're not on my (Jesus') side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse."
Blessing from the crowd upon Mary; Jesus multiplies and turns the blessing back to those who hear God's word and guard it with their lives.
Proof is Jonah. 3 Days. Turned. Obeyed. Re-gained life. But was really resentful under that fig tree in ch. 4. What Jonah was to Ninevah, the Son of Man is to this age-Jonah told them to turn or burn...and they did turn, much to Jonah's chagrin. I expect Jesus has a different reaction as turns are made, celebration vs. dismay at God's mercy. Never quite perceived the level of conflict in this illustration I am this morning.
Pharisees. Clean the surface but not the inside. I'm about the inside. "Turn your pockets and hearts inside out and give generously to the poor; then your lives will be clean, not just your dishes and your hands." Don't look for loopholes to get around love and justice. Jesus' extra harsh words at this table lead the Pharisees to begin their formal plotting for his demise (he'd just told them in his discourse that is exactly what they would be guilty of doing).
Strict rules and customs of Pharisees were to preserve Jewish identity and culture under Greek rule. But the rules emphasized external and allowed easy neglect of kingdom of God. What's more important a gorgeous window, or the view revealed through the window?
Philippians 1-2
Paul's happiest letter-infectious. Joy. Deep joy. Paul is deeply happy, with no contribution from his circumstances-he's in jail. Joy is in excess, spilling out, overflowing, splashing, uncontainable.
"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamation of thanks to God. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart." About whom can you say this?
This is my prayer:
"That your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but love well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God."
What a prayer. Is your life and your following of Jesus making Jesus attractive to all? Does it allow everyone to get involved in the glory and praise of God?
Prayer. First thing and central. Primary. Lives out the belief that God is a personal being with a sovereign will. Prayer is a decision to include God in everything that happens with me, and that I want to participate on God's terms (needs not wants, from Luke). A person who prays is a joyful person who delights in relationships with a profound sense of gratitude.
Some folks trying to get Paul's place/position while he's in jail. Some preach Christ with a genuine heart. Always have been imposters; always will be imposters. It's OK. Christ is proclaimed. So...what does that say to us about maligning other theologies and ideologies? If Christ is proclaimed?
I've got a pulpit, even in this jail. Nothing has been squealched...in fact, it's still expanding! "As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do." No retirement when working for the kingdom of God.
Live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ...Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging inthe slightest before the opposition..."
"If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." Philippians 2:1-4 (The Message)
Kenosis, "pouring out", "self-emptying," "set aside". If any man has ever been tempted to be self-sufficient, it was Jesus; tempted to be proud-Jesus; tempted to us powers for own gain-Jesus. And he gave it all up. We are to do the same--set aside the privileges of our own life and life a life dedicated to humbly serving others.
Stay obedient, as you were when I was with you. Keep it up. "Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself working and willing at what will give him the most pleasure."
I'm sending Timothy to you since I can't be with you.
No comments:
Post a Comment